Settling down

I think we all probably get to that point in our lives where we suddenly realize we are getting older, the clock is tickin', and it's time to maybe start thinking about "settling down."  It's a strange thought to be thinking, I realize, and an even stranger feeling.  But that feeling has been firmly planted in the bottom of my gut ever since I got married less than 2 short years ago.  Now I'm 25.  My husband is 26.  We are almost 30, or so it feels.  We have a mortgage, multiple insurance plans, a solid budget (finally), bills and schedules and careers.  We're starting to actually think about our health...and kids.  We sit and talk for hours and hours about our future, our dreams, our goals, our life in 5 years or 10 or 20. It's a strange and somewhat daunting feeling for sure to suddenly realize you've made the break.  You are no longer an adolescent or college student.  You've crossed the line.  You are responsible. But it's also an awesome feeling.  It feels like freedom.  It feels like that first stretch when you wake up in the morning.  You are self-aware and empowered, wise and independant. Back when I started painting house portraits, it was our story of "settling down" I wanted to tell.  So, I painted our new home...

See those roses out front?  I planted those while Seth was still a bachelor in this house.  And we painted that door bright red shortly after we got married and I moved in.  The shutters went up last summer and a new rounded window was put in right in between the shutters and the door.  We really do have the best birds in our neighborhood, including my very favorite cardinals. And now, through these custom house portraits, I get to weave together all of your "settling down" stories.  While I paint these various houses I like to imagine what each family is like and what stories the house would tell if it could.  And in a small (small) way I feel as if I'm adding a little heirloom-quality value to each home I paint, sewing each story together in a tight little bundle to be passed down to the next generation.  I really do love the whole process.

So I created this little video of fragmented film from the past few weeks.  All the footage was taken in my home studio using my simple Canon Rebel and 50mm lense.  Nothing fancy, but I do hope it tells the story.

Happy Valentine's Day!